News from the Shire (so hobbity!) #1

If I stretch out my feet, they don't reach the seat in front of me.


"2001" plus curried scallops and shrimp.


Approaching Oxford in the coach from the airport.


The adorable counter in my bathroom (we all have single rooms).


More dorm room.

And now, the news!

The last 30 hours have been fan-tastic. First, Jess surprised me by joining Emily and me for a combination Emily birthday dinner/pre-departure dinner. We ate four-cheese pizza and bean salad at Tutta Bella, so I was already stuffed full when...

I arrived at Sea-Tac, and learned my World Business Class status gained me access to the Northwest World Club! Hot diggity! Suddenly, I'm surrounded by lemon bars, cookies, sharp cheddar, fresh fruit, juice, pop, coffee, tea, magazines, wireless, and the Olympic swim trials on TV. All behind those doors that "whoosh" shut on the South Satellite.

As if that wasn't enough, I boarded for London and luxuriated my way across the Atlantic. First, the 180-degree (technically 176-degree) lay-down seat is a pod straight out of "2001: A Space Odyssey." (Check the photos on my Flickr site by clicking the link at right.) I said as much to Mom when I talked to her before I took off. Someone at Northwest Airlines has a good sense of humor, because one of the 25-or-so movies available to me on my personal entertainment unit was none other than "2001: A Space Odyssey." Of course, I watched it. So there I am, in my Kubrickian pod, listening to the "2001 Theme" and its wonderful Brahmsy soundtrack, staring down at freaking GREENLAND as if I'd just pulled the plug on HAL himself.

The list of World Business Class fun goes on and on: Socks, earplugs, toothpaste, toothbrush, eye mask, Aveda products, headphones, after dinner liqueur, fancy ice cream sandwich, stinky cheeses, good sleep, etc., etc. I arrived feeling great, and navigated my way from the plane to the train, from the train to the coach, and from the coach to the college.

Oxford is, as promised, CUTE. Lincoln College, our home base, is triple-charming: a collection of 1400's buildings encircling perfectly manicured quads (one with a sign that reads, "Croquet Only"). I'll take and post pictures tomorrow. Five of us, each connected to one another in some way, are housed in single rooms on the top floor of "Staircase 13" (including Ali, my first-year roommate in Vermont, and Lena, from Juneau and Santa Fe). Six of us walked to a nearby pub to get dinner-out as we missed dinner-in (earlier than normal) this evening. I had carrot soup, a marinated veggie salad, and a pint of cider for around $30. Definitely not affordable to eat out very often!

On my walk home from the pub, Ed called! (Hi, Ed!) Ed and the Alsek crew had one of their most productive days of fishing ever (filled the 50,000 pound capacity of the boat in a single set, for those in the know), so it was fun to celebrate that and celebrate my arrival in Oxford on the phone with Ed tonight. I posted in my room the map of Southeast Alaska I use every year at Bread Loaf to chart Ed's progress in the summertime.

My room is settled, and I feel great. Time to go to bed and see what fun awaits tomorrow.